If you have been convicted of a criminal offense, completed a diversionary program, or if your case was dismissed, expunging your record should be your number one priority. It is important to speak with a New Jersey Criminal Defense lawyer about the new expungement laws that have made many offenders eligible for expungement who were not eligible under the old law.
Under the old law, expungement for an indictable offense, including first, second, third and fourth degree indictable crimes was only available after a 10 year period had passed from the date of conviction, payment of any fines, completion of probation or parole. In 2010, N.J.S.A. 2C:52-2, the New Jersey Expungement Statute was amended to allow the Court to a grant an expungement although less than 10 years has passed if the Court finds that at least five (5) years has passed from the date of conviction, payment of fines, completion of parole or probation, so long as the person has not been convicted of any intervening offense and the Court finds in its discretion that expungement is in the public interest after considering the nature of the offense, the applicant’s character and his conduct since conviction.
If you have completed Pre-Trial Intervention, a Conditional Discharge, or a juvenile who has completed a deferred disposition, it is time to discuss filing a Petition for Expungement with a lawyer.